The use of technology and machinery in agriculture is increasing day by day. Instead of harvesting rice or crops with traditional sickles, harvesters are now being used to cut, thresh, and winnow crops simultaneously. Advanced mechanised methods for applying pesticides and fertilizers using drones have also arrived.

Agricultural officers and farmers say that using drones allows fertilisers and pesticides to be sprayed in measured quantities, while also avoiding health risks for farmers. Where it takes a person two hours to spray pesticides on one bigha of land, a drone takes only five minutes, and the cost is lower as well.

Two companies—Genius Farms Limited and Flymec—are jointly carrying out pilot, field-level pesticide application using drones. Technical support is being provided by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute. These drones, manufactured locally using Chinese components, can carry up to five kilograms of pesticides.

This service is being provided through two local farmers’ associations in Belabo upazila of Narsingdi and Singair upazila of Manikganj. For now, farmers can avail themselves of the service using two drones in exchange for a fixed fee. The drone technology was recently showcased at the SME Fair held in Dhaka.